Equalizer hitch necessary???

[roadjunkie]

I'm towing a Gulfstream Ameri-Lite 21 (18') TT with a dry weight of 3215 pounds. The hitch place that installed my brake controller told me that I wouldn't need an weight distribution hitch for such a small trailer and if I wanted one it would be a special order. They recommended pulling it first and see how it handled and if need be, adding a friction sway control.

I pulled it home (about 60 miles) at 65 mph into a 16 - 20 mph head wind with not much trouble. Recommendations?

** TV is a 2005 GMC Sierra SLE 1500, RWD, 5.3L LS, 4L60E tranny, 3.23 gears. Pricing gear swap now for 4.11 gears because I will be doing some mountain towing.

[roadjunkie]

Redwoodcamper wrote:
You should be fine. But we have all seen a line of cars backed up behind a truck with a swaying trailer before. Happened to me a couple days ago. Really annoying when someone has a truck to small or the wrong hitch and they are going under the speed limit by 10-20mph and wasting a bunch of people's time.
So go for a drive, see how it pulls, and go from there.

My most recent RV was a brand new 87 Wilderness 5th wheel that I pulled with a K20 Chevy. I didn't have to worry about sway. The only other bumper pull I had was a 15' Pla-Mor that I also pulled with the K20 and it was like there was nothing back there.

I was pulling an 18' TT on a long, downhill grade out of the mountains in Arizona back in 1970. I'd been driving about 18 months so my dad offered to let me drive. I was cruising about 70mph in a 1970 Monte Carlo when the trailer began whipping back and forth wildly, using the better part of both lanes to get it back under control. Everyone in the car was freaked out as well as everyone behind me. I was very fortunate I didn't kill us all.

[Redwoodcamper]

You should be fine. But we have all seen a line of cars backed up behind a truck with a swaying trailer before. Happened to me a couple days ago. Really annoying when someone has a truck to small or the wrong hitch and they are going under the speed limit by 10-20mph and wasting a bunch of people's time.
So go for a drive, see how it pulls, and go from there.

[roadjunkie]

lanerd wrote:
For the OP... as mentioned you didn't indicate what type of tow vehicle you have and that could really determine if you actually need a weight distribution unit. Please let us know.

Ron

Ron, it's in another post a couple up from this one plus I edited the original post to describe my TV.

[tinstartrvlr]

And your insurance company might like that you were using one if heaven forbid something was to go wrong.

[lanerd]

spoon059 wrote:
The Equal-I-Zer is a brand of weight distribution hitch with built in sway control.. I assume you are just referring to any type of weight distribution hitch.

While you may not NEED one, I don't think there is any reason not to have one (except for cost). It certainly won't hurt anything, and it might be useful in an emergency situation.

When you mentioned "emergency situation".... I'm assuming your referring to having sway control with the Equal-i-zer than with "just any type of weight distribution hitch" as the just any type of weight distribution hitch doesn't do anything for sway control unless it has an add-on sway control bar.

For the OP... as mentioned you didn't indicate what type of tow vehicle you have and that could really determine if you actually need a weight distribution unit. Please let us know.

Ron

[bobndot]

wanderingbob wrote:
With your GMC 1500 you should be OK . Try it a couple times , you can always get a WDH tomorrow .

x2 makes sense to me .



A lot depends on the TV you plan to use.

guys towing snowmobiles and multiple ATV's in 30' enclosed trailers usually tow direct to the ball .
My 30 ft enclosed is 5000# direct to the ball on a 2500HD. My 3500# enclosed gets towed direct to the ball on my 1500 Max Tow Package. Multiple 1000 mi round trips every season, never an issue using both setups .
5000# on the 1500, I would be using the WD hitch only because the rear would drop more than i like using it direct to the ball. I have a lot of gear and running it at max truck payload.

[roadjunkie]

My tow vehicle is a 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 RWD with 5.3L LS motor, 4L60E tranny and 3.23 gears. I'm in the process of pricing a gear swap for 4.11 gears because I will be doing some mountain towing.

[spoon059]

The Equal-I-Zer is a brand of weight distribution hitch with built in sway control.. I assume you are just referring to any type of weight distribution hitch.

While you may not NEED one, I don't think there is any reason not to have one (except for cost). It certainly won't hurt anything, and it might be useful in an emergency situation.

[wanderingbob]

With your GMC 1500 you should be OK . Try it a couple times , you can always get a WDH tomorrow .

[llowllms]

I let a friend use ours because he complained of high cross winds out west, an area that he frequents, saying he had trouble keeping the trailer running true. When he returned home he told me he had ordered one due to using ours and how fantastic they worked.
Regardless of the TV you have safety should be the primary concern. We purchased ours after seeing a RV on it's side on I75 about ten years ago. When stopping to see if I could help I was told cross wind caused the accident.

[Redwoodcamper]

I tow my 20ft bullet 70-75 mph in some good wind with just a regular old hitch. I load it a little tongue heavy, and I have a 1 ton Dodge. If you pull it with a 1/2 ton truck then I would consider the anti sway hitch necessary. You have to tell us your tow vehicle.

[Turbosix]

Tell us about your TV. Unless you have a small vehicle, I think you should be fine.

I've pulled car trailers with cars and trucks weighing over 3500#'s on them with a 1/2 ton truck without any problems.

If you don't need it, it's less to buy, take care of and mess with when hitching and unhitching.

[Community Alumni]

I towed a similar size TT for a couple of years with an Equalizer. Get it, you won't be disappointed.